Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen has said he is weighing his options with his Spurs contract set to expire this summer.
In an interview with Belgian show De Kleedkamer, Vertonghen said that he is “in a process right now that I have to grab a piece of paper and write down the pros and cons of the options I will have soon.”
The 32-year-old admitted retirement is an option sooner rather than later. “I will really have to decide what I want in my career,” Vertonghen said. “In three to four years, I will normally return to the place where I will likely settle down.”
That could have an impact on his next move, as many players often defer to the highest bidder on their last chance to score a big payday before retirement. However, Vertonghen said he is also heavily considering a final chance to snag silverware before he calls time on his career. “Also very importantly: [I must consider] which competitions and prizes I still want to win. I don’t want to regret anything in my career.”
Vertonghen has spent the last eight seasons at Tottenham, topping the 2,000 minute mark in Premier League play in each of the first six. Last season he was hampered by a hamstring injury, and this season he has seen more time on the bench under Jose Mourinho of late, spending three matches as an unused substitute since the start of January.
Back in February, Vertonghen’s agent Tom de Mul said that while there are “options” outside of London, “the door’s still open” for Vertonghen to return to Spurs while talking up the “respect” the club and player have for each other.
